This invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Apricot Tree, discovered near Cream Ridge, N.J., as part of an extensive program to develop improved apricot trees having early maturing fruit of excellent dessert quality.
The cultivar of this invention is a seedling whose parentage is known and selected from a block planted near Cream Ridge, N.J., in a cultivated area of other trees whose breeding records are also kept.
The new cultivar which I have chosen to designate as NJA53, was produced by crossing a seedling known as RR17-62, being the seed parent, and another selection, NJA13, being the pollen parent, neither of which is patented.
I have found during continued growth of the trees of this cultivar, that it produces a vigorous, moderately spreading tree with good crops.
The tree flowers at or about one day later than the cultivar known as "Harcot" (unpatented) in the area of Cream Ridge, N.J., and the apricot fruit produced has very good quality, especially for its ripening season.
During the course of the several years of observing the growth it is noted that the selection was asexually propagated by grafting on peach rootstock in the vicinity of Cream Ridge, N.J.
The selected tree was of grafted material and is an example of those which have maintained the desired characteristics after propagation in successive generations.